As educators, our jobs are dynamic and ever-changing.  Today I wanted to share two quick resources with you that I urge you to follow or consider.

• A couple of weeks ago, I came across a blog called Two Writing Teachers.  In the next few days, at least two people had also shared the blog with me as being helpful to them, so I figured it might be good if I also passed on to you.  It's written by several teachers (6, I think).  A post I found particularly relevant relates to beginning to work with Lucy Calkins and how to manageable use the resource as you are getting started.  Check out How To Read A Unit of Study.

Students are the center of our classroom, not us. However, as a teacher, know that we are the most impactful single person in the classroom. Honest feedback from our students will help us level up.  There is hardly an educational researcher or book out there that doesn't emphasize the importance of feedback.  Feedback is ranked #10 on John Hattie's most powerful influences of student achievement.  We provide feedback in many ways throughout the day, but I bet there's not one of us that couldn't benefit to reflecting on our practices and improving upon them still.  After all, teachers are life long learners, right?

Basically, feedback is information about how we are doing in our efforts to reach a goal.  Feedback is evidence about: 

• FEED UP - Where am I going? (standards, exemplars, targets)
• FEEDBACK - How am I doing?
• FEED Forward - Where to next?

For effective feedback to occur, teachers need to know learning trajectories for students and to be clear on both "the why" and "the what" that they are teaching.  Note that in everyday situations, goals are often implicit, although fairly obvious to everyone. I don't need to announce when telling the joke that my aim is to make you laugh. But in school, learners are often unclear about the specific goal of a task or lesson, so it is crucial to remind them about the goal and the criteria by which they should self-assess. 

What kind of feedback do you have as a teacher?  Feedback from the students or other observers is crucial for you to reflect on your practice.  One of Hattie's points in his research, is the importance of teachers asking for feedback on their teaching.  Asking your kids for feedback (written, verbally, surveys, etc.) can be powerful and can help us see learning through out students eyes.  Questions such as: